The Modern American Military is composed of essays surveying the mission and character of the United States armed forces in the twenty-first century.

Synopsis:

The advent of the all-volunteer force and the evolving nature of modern warfare have transformed our military, changing it in serious if subtle ways that few Americans are aware of. Edited by Pulitzer Prize-winning historian David M. Kennedy, this stimulating volume brings together insights from a remarkable group of scholars, who shed important new light on the changes effecting today's armed forces. Beginning with a Foreword by former Secretary of Defense William J. Perry, the contributors take an historical approach as they explore the ever-changing strategic, political, and fiscal contexts in which the armed forces are trained and deployed, and the constantly shifting objectives that they are tasked to achieve in the post-9/11 environment. They also offer strong points of view. Lawrence Freedman, for instance, takes the leadership to task for uncritically embracing the high-tech Revolution in Military Affairs when "conventional" warfare seems increasingly unlikely. And eminent psychiatrist Jonathan Shay warns that the post-battle effects of what he terms "moral wounds" currently receive inadequate attention from the military and the medical profession.Perhaps most troubling, Karl Eikenberry raises the issue of the "political ownership" of the military in an era of all-volunteer service, citing the argument that, absent the political protest common to the draft era, government decision-makers felt free to carry out military operations in both Iraq and Afghanistan. Andrew Bacevich goes further, writing that "it's no longer our army; it hasn't been for years; it's theirs [the government's] and they intend to keep it." Looking at such issues as who serves and why, the impact of non-uniformed "contractors" in the war zone, and the growing role of women in combat, this volume brings together leading thinkers who illuminate the American military at the beginning of the twenty-first century.

This fully updated edition offers over 120,000 words, phrases, and definitions. It covers all the words you need for everyday use, carefully selected from the evidence of the Oxford English Corpus, a databank of 21st century English, containing over 2 billion words.The Factfinder centre section gives quick-reference entries on topics including famous people, countries, and science.

Tomi Adeyemi conjures a stunning world of dark magic and danger in her West African-inspired fantasy debut Children of Blood and Bone. They killed my mother. They took our magic. They tried to bury us.. Under the orders of a ruthless king, anyone with powers was targeted and killed, leaving Zelie without a mother and her people without hope. With the help of a rogue princess, Zelie must learn to harness her powers and outrun the crown prince, who is hell-bent on eradicating magic for good. Yet the greatest danger may be Zelie herself as she struggles to come to terms with the strength of her magic - and her growing feelings for an enemy.The movie of Children of Blood and Bone is in development at Fox 2000/Temple Hill Productions with the incredible Karen Rosenfelt and Wyck Godfrey (Twilight, Maze Runner, The Fault In Our Stars) producing it.

Getting what you want isn''t always what you need in this laugh-out- loud comedy from one of the fastest-rising stars of the children''s book world Guy Bass. Particularly suitable for struggling, reluctant or dyslexic readers aged 8+

Join the Easter bunnies as they set off on an exciting lift-the-flap Easter egg hunt.
With ten eggs to find and count, this board book is great fun.
But watch out for the obstacles along the way - lambs, chicks, bees and ducks - and there's even a wolfish surprise, so do take care. Based on the traditional `We're Going on a Lion Hunt' rhyme, the delightful illustrations and read-aloud story will make this board book a huge springtime hit with all fans of search-and-find and lift-the-flap books. We're going on an egg hunt. We're going to find them all. We're REALLY excited. Hooray for Easter Day!

When the rain threatens to ruin the fun at summer camp, Malik are tasked with some inventing... A funny and charming Little Gem from national treasure Anne Fine, with beautiful artwork by illustration star Vicki Gausden - Anne''s collaborator on Out for the Count. Particularly suitable for struggling, reluctant and dyslexic readers aged 5+